Bring Color to Your Office

Have you ever noticed how your mood can change just by walking into a room? Whether it’s a dentist, salon, or your office, the colors that surround you do affect your experience. That’s because colors ignite subconscious messages in all of us. Which means it’s important to think long and hard about the colors you choose when redesigning your office.

The Effect of Colors

Jeffrey Steele’s research is detailed in his Forbes article How Color Psychology Impacts Today’s Workplace  as to how energy, productivity, and office morale are all subliminally affected by the colors in your office. It’s important to make your workplace color decisions intentionally and with purpose. Consider the following:

• Type of business
• The level of seriousness/professionalism you wish to set
• Age of employees/clients
• Cultural background of employees and clients
• Employee and client gender

Intensity and Hue

The intensity and hue of the colors you choose are just as important as the color itself. High-intensity colors tend to stimulate, while low-intensity colors often soothe and calm. Navy blue, dark green, and burgundy are considered power colors. Commonly used in serious, corporate businesses, these colors project confidence and professionalism. Lighter, lower intensity shade of these same colors can be used to project creativity and a more casual atmosphere.

In Advertising, Colors Are Used To Manipulate a Specific Outcome

Think about it. Advertising agencies make it their business to understand the psychology of color. It enables them to persuasively ensure a positive subconscious message – one that is appropriate to what the company is selling and also to the target market they wish to sell to. They know to select colors that send a powerful message to the viewer even before they’ve had the chance to read what the advert is promoting. Smart employers behave in much the same way. With color science showing that the right use of color will elicit a more positive outcome, it makes sense to carefully consider what colors you choose to use.

Color Science

One easy way to comprehend the concept of color science is to imagine yourself in a perfectly organized space. What colors are present? Most of us would agree that neutral colors such as white and grey would be associated with this type of environment.

 

BLUE

An intellectual color that’s a good addition to any office space, blue represents communication, trust, and efficiency, and is a logical choice for spaces requiring mental focus. However, too much blue can slow productivity, so add a complementary color, such as orange, with your office accessories.

RED

Surrounding yourself with red encourages excitement, courage, and strength. This can be beneficial in spaces
where physical exertion is prevalent. However, for spaces where less activity is required, red can be draining and tiresome.

 

YELLOW

Yellow is an emotional color, embodying friendliness, optimism, and creativity. Use it in spaces where you’re looking to stimulate happiness. Take caution, however, on the hue you choose. To be effective, think the color of the sun. Also, yellow is best used sparingly in small spaces, as it can cause stress and anxiety in some people if used in excess.

 

GREEN

Easy on the eyes, green provides a sense of calming, balance and security. Its connection with nature creates harmony between the inside and the outside world. This harmony makes green the optimal color for medical offices, or for those working conditions that require long hours behind a desk.

ORANGE

Created by blending a physical and emotional color together, orange represents comfort. Use it as an accent color if a touch of fun is what you’re aiming for.

 

GREY

When used correctly, it can add a sleek and modern feel to your office while being easy to incorporate. However, when used
incorrectly, a space filled with grey can lack confidence and project a negative mood. Help this by choosing a lively accent color to bring your space to life.

What Colors Then? And How To Use Them?

Office furniture and accessory finishes are an ideal way to incorporate color into your workspace. Our buyers at Trader Boys Office Furniture were recently introduced to “Watson” furniture. This super cool new line offers commercial grade office furniture in every color of the rainbow. We’re excited to showcase it on our showroom floor.

Office Accessories

Office accessories like Watson’s Pin Privacy screen can offer a splash of color, while also serving as a tackable surface. Watson’s crafted textile selection is composed of the ideal color options for office spaces, and are just the start of customizable options for Watson furniture.